Spin Out
by PsychoWing
Summary: For all the little things that don’t actually happen in Cross Out.
1. Ben reappears and meets Tom

This collection of chapters (I hesitate to call it a story) ties into _Cross Out_. It's side stories, drabbles, and potential events that may or may not occur in the main story. In other words, it's mostly for me to screw around with. I will give a brief summary and state whether it ties into the main 'verse of _Cross Out_.

This chapter is when Ben and Tom first meet and it does tie into the main story. It occurs about a year before _Cross Out_ itself – so Alex is fifteen.

* * *

**_01_**

"Alex! Visitor!"

Alex frowned slightly, setting her pen down on her chemistry notes. "Alright!" she called back, pushing to her feet.

_Who'd be here?_ she wondered. _Jack'd say if it was Tom or just let him in._

Jack popped her head out of the kitchen as Alex was coming down the stairs. "He's in the living room."

"Who is he?"

"Dunno," the red-head shrugged. "Tall, dark hair, blue eyes, cute… Bit old for you though. Let me know if he's single," Jack teased before sobering. "And I don't think he's from the bank but…" She shrugged again.

Alex's lips pulled into a scowl. "Better not be. I have exams next week." She stalked through the door, startling the man by the fireplace if his sudden guilty jerk was any indication.

He turned quickly, hand twitching toward… something, a weapon she assumed, before he shoved both hands into his pockets. Blue eyes crinkled in a smile.

"Hey C– Alex. How've you been?"

Alex blinked, stopping in surprise. _Ben Daniels is in my house?_ She cocked her head, jaw length hair shifting as she watched him.

Ben shifted uncomfortably. "I know it's sudden, but I didn't get a chance to come over before now."

Alex turned and closed the door with a quiet click. "Why are you here?"

Ben hesitated. "Well, to check on you mostly. And to see if I had hallucinated."

She looked at him. "How's your wound?"

"Fine, he answered. "It's part of what took me so long. That, and actually finding your address."

Alex nodded. "I have exams next week so if Blunt wants something, he'll have to wait or send someone else. That was the agreement."

Ben cocked his head, blue eyes confused. "What? No. I'm… off, not here because Blunt sent me. Actually, I was wondering if you'd like to go out today."

Alex shot him an amused look. "I'm not interested in a boyfriend at the moment." She watched him blink and laughed when he blushed faintly. "Seriously though, why?"

He shifted his weight. "Are you okay? How's your…" He gestured vaguely at her chest, more noticeable now that she was starting to fill out a little. "And Jones told me who that man was… I'm sorry."

She shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "Don't be. I had just met him and he was lying to me the whole time. He was the 'security leak'." She rolled her eyes before shrugging again. "And it's fine, mostly. Twinges sometimes, but I was told that's normal so…"

Ben nodded, feeling a little more confident since she hadn't thrown him out yet. "So would you like to get a burger? I figure you could use someone to talk to who would understand and that you might trust at least a little and be comfortable with. Well, hopefully anyway. I mean, I'd like it if it was me, but I'd understand if it wasn't. I just can't really see–"

"Ben," Alex cut in, looking amused. "Are you nervous?"

Again with the slight blush.

_I am so glad I got over that crush last year._

"Am I even allowed to talk to you about… any of it? Other than what you were there for?"

"Would it stop you if you weren't?" he asked with a half-smile.

She rolled her eyes. "No, but wouldn't you get into trouble?"

He shrugged. "As long as no one without the proper clearance doesn't hear and I don't talk about it, I don't think Blunt will care."

Alex scowled. "Blunt likes coercion and black mail. He'd use it against one of us, probably me," she said bitterly.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "But Jones already cleared it. She seemed to think it was a good idea, if you agreed. And I don't expect you to just tell me. I figured we could get to know each other, I could answer any questions you have, and maybe we could trust each other as equally skilled agents, maybe friends, like with K-unit."

Alex snorted. "One, I've been doing this longer than you."

"Yeah," he acknowledged. "But you aren't exactly given normal assignments from what I understand."

Alex made a motion with her hand, conceding the point. "And two, have you forgotten the treatment you lot gave me at training?"

Ben winced. "We were jerks."

"That's putting it mildly."

Ben chewed his lip in thought then met Alex's eyes. "Could we start over?"

She shifted her weight, smirking internally when the movement of her skirt drew his attention and he looked dumbfounded at it.

"…I suppose," she answered.

He grinned at her then held out a hand. "Hi, I'm Ben Daniels."

She shook his hand. "Alex Rider."

"You know, the hair looks good on you," he said suddenly.

She blinked. "What?"

He gestured vaguely around his own ear. "You're growing it out. It looks nice."

"Are you always this weird?"

He smirked. "No. That's Eagle's job."

She nodded. "Let me tell Jack I'm going out."

"Okay," Ben nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets again, looking much more relaxed.

Alex peered into the kitchen, smiling at the mess Jack had made just for a sandwich and coffee. "Hey, Jack, is it alright if I go out?"

"Sure," Jack answered then looked at the teen. "Who is he?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Ben Daniels. We… worked together. In Australia. No, I'm not being called in. We're just going out for a burger. Yes, I'll have my phone and yes I'll call if I'm going to be out past nine. Anything else?"

"Yeah." Jack smiled. "Have fun. Try to relax. You haven't since you got back."

Alex rolled her eyes again. "Alright. Bye." She ran upstairs to grab a purse, threw some stuff into it, and went back down to Ben.

"Ready?" he asked, waiting by the door. At her nod, he opened the door for her and followed her through.

"Any preferences?" Ben asked, walking nearer to the street than Alex.

She shook her head, enjoying the mild June breeze.

"How old are you?" Ben asked, glancing at her as they walked.

"Fifteen. Why?"

He stopped in surprise. "What? So you were fourteen when you were with us?"

She stopped and turned to face him. "Yeah. I was still fourteen in Australia."

"We thought you were sixteen! How the hell can they condone using a teen as young as you?"

Alex laughed derisively. "Condone? They blackmailed me into it!" She bit her lip after her outburst. "Sorry. I'm not normally this… talkative." She looked down.

"Blackmail?" He put a hand on her shoulder, one that was quickly brushed off.

"Nothing," Alex said.

"Alex. I'd like to help you, but I can't if you don't talk to me."

"I have it handled. I don't need help. And I'd need to trust you a bit more before I told you more," she snapped.

Ben blinked and let his hand drop.

She sighed, closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead. "I'm sorry. I just… I'm so sick of it, of the crap they made me do. I keep expecting to be called in even though they say they won't."

Ben nodded slowly. "It's okay. And it's a good reason to talk. Like I said, I can understand, at least more than anyone else you're likely to talk to. I just hope you give me a chance."

Alex eyed him warily. "Yeah, maybe… So how old are you?"

"Twenty-three," he answered, overlooking the obvious attempt to change the subject.

She nodded, letting them lapse into awkward silence again.

Ben opened his mouth, paused, and changed what he was going to say. "I have absolutely no idea what to talk about without being clichéd."

"Probably that way for a reason," she commented.

"Alright. What's your favorite color?"

She paused to think. "…Orange?"

"You don't sound too confident of that," he said, amused.

"I guess I don't really have one."

"Why not?"

She shot him a wry look. "Because almost all of them remind me of being injured."

Ben blinked. "How?"

"Red's blood; purple, green, and yellow are bruises; white's in hospital; brown's blood too; blue's hypothermia; pink's abrasions; black's typical bad guy wear; and gray's what color the room I'm locked in usually is. That and Blunt's gray."

Ben blinked again. "That's… really morbid."

She shrugged. "Nearly a year of habit and experience is hard to get passed. And if you say it's another reason to talk, I'll hit you."

He held up his hands, smiling though internally he was faintly worried. "Alright… But it's true." He laughed and dodged back when she swung her purse at him.

"Are you going to have a depressing answer for all of my questions?" he asked.

Alex shrugged again. "I don't know. What's the next question?"

Ben tilted his head back in thought. "What do you tell your friends about when you're 'working'?"

She huffed out a laugh. "What friends? The bank only gave illnesses as an excuse for why I was missing school. Nearly everyone thought I was in a gang, or in jail, or on drugs, or something similarly stupid. I haven't really bothered to talk to any of them since. Not much point. I've got Tom anyway."

"Tom?" He glanced at her slyly. "Who's he? You fancy him?"

"Best friend," she countered, not missing a beat.

"Oh." He started to ask another question when her phone chirped, indicating she had received a text, and she pulled it out.

_**I see you.**_

Alex frowned and looked around.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked, seeing the serious look on her face.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

Ben gently grabbed her arm to make her look at him. "It doesn't look like nothing. What is it?"

"I know what's going on and it isn't a big deal," she snapped, turning to pull her arm away."

The cell phone chirped again, drawing their attention.

_**Bit old for you, isn't he?**_

Ben's head snapped up and he scanned the area, blue eyes narrowed. He let go of Alex and shifted his stance. "I know you can handle yourself, but stay close anyway."

"Let's just keep moving," Alex said, turning to keep going, rolling her eyes.

Ben nodded and followed her.

A third chirp and Alex checked her phone, still walking.

_**Got you.**_

Ben wasn't able to read the message, but he did get a warning when he saw her shoulders stiffen. Because of that, he spotted the slight movement of a hedge and lunged forward as someone surged out at Alex.

He caught the dark haired teen's collar just as the boy's hands brushed Alex. There was a strangled cry, a yelp of pain, and a thud as Ben yanked him back, hit a mostly glancing blow to his jaw, and let him hit the ground.

Ben was moving forward to inflict more damage when Alex stepped between the two males. She matched Ben's sidestep, preventing him from going around.

"Alex, move."

She glared at him. "Calm down, Ben. He didn't mean any harm. And don't tell me what to do."

He tried to move her aside but she shoved him, making him stumble back in surprise.

"Back off," she snapped before turning to kneel next to the teen. "Tom."

Dazed green-hazel eyes met hers. "Alex? Did you hit me again? I warned you like you said to," he said petulantly.

"I know. My friend hit you. He didn't know." She huffed slightly. "And I told you not to do anything if someone was with me."

Ben looked between the two. "What…?"

Alex glanced up at him. "This is Tom. My friend. It's… a game we play. He tries to sneak up on my and I need to find him first."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't any of your business. He knows not to do it if I'm with someone, or at least he's supposed to, so I don't know what he was thinking."

Tom groaned slightly, pushing up. "What hit me?"

Alex looked at him. "A professional soldier."

"You suck."

"You were warned. You're lucky he's on our side rather than one of my enemies!" Alex scolded. "You'd most likely be dead if he was! Dead or taken hostage to be used as leverage!"

Tom blinked, shrinking back slightly, cowed.

Alex stood. "I don't want to see you hurt so, please, don't do that again unless you personally know who I'm with and how they'll react."

Tom nodded quickly. "I – I won't. Promise… Sorry."

Alex sighed. "Alright. At least no one got seriously hurt this time."

"But I got punched!" Tom protested.

"You deserved that," she retorted.

Ben decided to step in. "Okay you two. No harm, no foul. Why don't I just take you both out for a burger?"

Tom eyed him. "…Do I get to hide behind Alex?"

"If you want to," Ben answered, a little nonplussed, as he reached down to pull Tom to his feet.

Tom nodded once he was upright and ducked behind Alex, who rolled her eyes.

"If he goes insane," Tom started, ignoring Ben's offended look. "You fight him while I get help."

Alex laughed. "Run screaming like a little girl you mean."

"Hey!" Tom protested, lightly pushing her.

She turned to push him back.

Ben watched in amusement as it quickly devolved into wrestling match, one that Alex won when she tossed Tom with a nimble twist of her hips. She pinned his wrists as she straddled his hips.

Alex grinned up at Ben, more carefree than he thought she could have been even ten minutes ago. "Quick," she directed. "Armpits. He's ticklish."

"No!" Tom hollered, struggling.

Ben blinked then smirked, crouching to help Alex. Just before he would have touched Tom, he pivoted and snapped his arms around her waist, yanking her back against his chest and pinning her arms to her sides.

"Run!" Ben half-ordered, half-teased. "Before she gets the chance to attack again!"

Tom laughed and took off running. Ben carefully and gently tossed Alex to the side before he tore after Tom. He let loose his own laughter when he heard the curses coming out of the girl's mouth.

Tom turned to run backwards so he was able to watch in mingled fascinated horror and amusement as Alex tackled Ben, catching him right in the middle of his back with her shoulder. Tom doubled up with laughter at the surprised look on Ben's face when Alex slammed into him and forced him to the ground.

Alex popped up and sprinted over to Tom, grabbing his arm as she passed.

"C'mon! Run!" she urged, laughing.

Ben got to his feet. "I'm going to get you two!" he yelled, smiling widely, and set off after them.

It was nearly an hour before they stopped playing around and went to get those burgers, though Tom took a rain check when he saw the time.

"You know how my parents have been," he said, smiling wryly at Alex. "Don't want to give them more fuel, you know?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you at school tomorrow then."

"Why don't we walk you home?" Ben spoke up. He mentally frowned at the looks of surprise they shot him, filing it away to ask about later.

"Um… Okay," Tom responded. "I'm this way," he gestured, turning to walk.

Ben trailed after the pair, listening to their conversation with half an ear while he thought on what he knew of Alex, both from before and what he saw today.

Once Tom was safely inside, Ben looked at Alex, raising an eyebrow.

She started walking, waiting for him to draw even before speaking. "His parents are going through a divorce and sometimes they'll notice he isn't there and start blaming each other. Dinner's in a little while and if he isn't there, they get worse."

Ben nodded. "So that's why he doesn't trust adults much, isn't it?"

Alex glanced at him, surprised. "I guess… That, and he knows what I've gone through so he's skeptical."

"You told him?" Ben asked, incredulity clear in his tone.

Alex scowled up at the man. "Yeah. I needed help so I told him why. That, and he's my best friend, you know? I needed someone to talk to who wouldn't freak out like Jack would."

"What if he says something?"

"He won't. Tom's mental, but he isn't stupid."

"Judging by earlier, I'm not sure I agree."

"That was just Tom being Tom. Most of the time, he's better at reading people than I am. He probably saw you wouldn't actually hurt either of us."

"Then why yell at him?"

"What if he's wrong? And I'm definitely the better at assessing a threat." Alex looked down and her voice quieted. "He has so much faith in me and I'm not sure I deserve it."

Ben put an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close though he expected her to pull away. "Considering what I saw on that mission and what Jones and Smithers have hinted at, I'm sure you do."

Alex glanced up at him before averting her eyes again, half-leaning into him. "Wish I were so confident," she said lowly, in a tone Ben was sure he wasn't supposed to hear.

He gave her a little shake. "Have you ever failed?"

"It wasn't exactly an option. Australia was about par for the course," she responded. "I get caught, nearly killed, somehow manage to get away, and stumble my way through stopping whoever it is. It's mostly dumb luck."

"Dumb luck will keep you alive. And it wasn't just luck in that ring. I saw skill there."

Alex shrugged but didn't move to pull away.

"Just how many missions have you been on?"

"Officially? Two, maybe four for MI6. Two for the CIA. One for ASIS."

"Unofficially? And why the confusion with MI6?"

She sighed. "My first and second were MI6. And I suppose my third was too. That led to my fourth which was CIA. My fifth I stumbled onto myself. I got into the sixth on my own too, but… MI6 got me out then sent me back. I got shot after that. Mission seven was… complicated. The CIA pulled an MI6. Australia was my eighth mission. It started with ASIS and you saw how that turned out." **(1)**

"How do you stumble into missions?"

"By being suspicious and having MI6 completely ignore your concerns because 'you're just a child', not that it stops them from using you. Or you don't trust them anymore and want answers so you leave the country."

Ben blinked at her resentful tone. "You could have just said 'by taking initiative' or something."

Alex shoved away from him, stopping and glaring up at him. "You wanted me to talk and when I talk, you tell me off! Fuck you Ben!" She turned to stalk down the street.

"Alex! Wait!" He jogged after her, catching her arm. Half-expecting her to retaliate, he fended off her blow, catching her wrist. "Would you calm down?" he snapped when she kept struggling.

She glared at him again, tears gathering in her eyes. "Let me go!"

"Alex…" he sighed softly, pulling her out of direct view of the street before enfolding her in a hug. "I didn't mean to sound disparaging. I just didn't know what to say so… I was a smartass."

She sighed bitterly. "You don't believe me."

"Hey, I never said that. Yeah, it's hard for most to believe what you said, but considering your rank, you're only called in on extreme cases."

She huffed slightly, leaning against him as she finally stopped struggling. "…So are you going to run the other way now?"

"No."

"You should. I got you shot."

"You didn't get me shot. I did that myself."

"You wouldn't have gotten shot if I hadn't been there."

"Alex," he gently shook her shoulders. "People get hurt, you know that. I didn't see the man who shot me and that's my fault. If anything, you saved my life. He would have been able to shoot me again if you hadn't been there. I should be thanking you."

She shook her head. "I got you shot after you helped me."

Ben sighed. "Even then?"

Alex looked at him, unconvinced. "I've gotten I don't know how many people hurt or killed. Doesn't that worry you or anything?"

He shrugged. "How many of them weren't trying to kill or hurt you in some way?"

"You, Wolf, the two Americans were killed – though I was their cover, but still – Yassen, those Australian SAS, the Prime Minister, a friend was kidnapped… I'm surprised Tom and Jack are still okay. And I'm not sure how many people I've actually killed."

"Wolf?"

"It was in France. He got shot in the arm."

"I didn't know you had met again."

She rolled her eyes. "MI6 actually sent help, but I think that was because of all the hostages, not me. And, of course, they were 'fashionably late' like usual. And did you know that he already knew I was a girl?"

"He did?"

"Yeah. All he'd say was that he found out at the Beacons."

He nodded slowly. "And the Prime Minister?"

"I accidentally shot him in the hand."

"…At the Science Museum? That was you?"

Alex nodded, eyeing him.

"That was a week after you were at camp!"

She shrugged. "So?"

"You had less than two weeks of training and they sent you on a mission?"

She half-shrugged this time, tilting her head. "Technically, my uncle raised me to be a spy," she said cynically. "And weren't you told my wound was a couple months old when we met again?"

Ben spluttered which Alex took as a no. She shrugged again, not fully certain why he was getting so worked up.

Ben calmed enough to shoot her a look before stealing her phone. "I know you said you've got it handled but I'm still giving you my number so you can ring me. And I expect at least one call a week. Don't think I won't come by like earlier."

Alex stared at him. "Why do you care?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"No one else who knows does." She paused, remember the get well card Wolf had sent her. "Oh, never mind. You fit the pattern… Crappy pattern though."

Ben looked at her like he was beginning to wonder if she was insane. "What?"

"Getting shot then caring."

He blinked. "…What?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "You got shot and now you're here. Wolf got shot and he sent me a card… Apparently, the severity of the wound is proportional to the depth of caring."

Ben frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Fine. Why?"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Sure it does. You and Wolf didn't give a damn at training, and on the mission you were following orders, but you both got shot on the missions and I hear from you after… Though now that I think on it, how did he know to send me a card?"

"We were told you had appendicitis," Ben answered absently. "Wolf sent you a card?"

Alex nodded. "Why were you told?"

"I was still with the SAS at the time. Actually, I'll be with them again while I recover."

"I can't call then."

"MI6 perk, I get to keep my cell."

She nodded again, slowly. "That tells me how you were told, not why."

"You're still marked as a member of the unit so we were informed you were in hospital. Though I'm going to guess that you had just been shot, not had surgery."

Alex nodded a third time. "Still marked as SAS? I didn't know I was in the first place."

Ben nodded this time, starting them walking again. "A lot of MI6 are marked that way. Cover."

"…I guess that makes sense."

"Anyway, how about that burger now? Serious stuff another time?"

Alex looked up at him. "…Alright."

He grinned and tossed an arm around her shoulders. "So… do you watch football?"

Alex laughed, feeling a little lighter than she had in a while.

**_End chapter_**

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**(1)** The missions as I see them: 1 – Stormbreaker, 2 – Point Blank, 3 – when he was a ball boy at Wimbledon at Crawley's request (beginning of Skeleton Key), 4 – Skeleton Key, 5 – Eagle Strike, 6 – Scorpia, 7 – Ark Angel, 8 - Snakehead


	2. Brecon Beacons

This drabble happens in the Cross Out 'verse, but doesn't actually apply to the story (if that makes sense). It's basically an AU of an AU.

The basics of it are that K-unit knows Alex is Cub and for some random reason, they're at Brecon Beacons. I didn't really think much of the situation beyond that.

And, for the record, I despise the attitude that I have a character portray. It is not my opinion nor do I condone said viewpoint.

* * *

**_02_**

"Why don't you go bake some cookies or something and let us men get back to work?" one of the trainees asked snidely, gaining laughter.

Fox winced, seeing Alex's expression close off before she turned to the other man. Fox took this opportunity to wave Snake over.

"Excuse me," Alex said, tapping the trainee on the shoulder.

He turned and smirked at her. "Yeah sweetheart?"

She smiled sweetly, brown eyes hard. "I just wanted to make sure I understood you correctly. You think women are inferior?"

"What?" Snake asked Fox softly, watching the brunette woman who was clearly irritated.

"Well, I wouldn't say women are inferior… Just that they belong under men." More guffaws answered this.

"Just wanted a medic on hand when this idiot gets injured," Fox muttered back to his unit-mate.

Alex nodded, half-turning away before she spun back to solidly hit his sternum, knocking the breath out of the trainee. The next two blows were a light tap to his throat and a punch that broke his nose. To finish, she dropped and swept his feet from under him before she pinned him, her knees digging into his upper arms and a hand at his throat.

All four members of K-unit materialized around Alex and her demonstration victim, preventing the rest of the startled trainees from acting, now that they were getting over their shock.

"Now, I will concede that I had the element of surprise," Alex started, voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "But that doesn't change the fact I could have killed you three different ways just now. Writing off a person as a threat for any reason is a good way to get yourself, your unit, and anyone else in the area killed." She stood and offered the trainee a hand up.

He just glared at her, pushing himself up. "You couldn't do that a second time, you little bitch," he snarled.

Eagle bristled at that but, catching Alex's mild headshake, stayed back.

"I'm not here to prove myself to an oversized schoolboy with a hurt ego," she retorted coolly.

The soldier growled and threw a punch at her.

Alex caught his wrist and dodged to the outside, rather than the inside to throw him, as K-unit expected her to having been on the receiving end more than once. Instead, she twisted his arm behind his back and slammed a shin into the backs of both of his knees. She fisted a hand in his hair and wrenched his head back at a harsh angle.

"Guess what? You're dead again," she snapped.

"Cub, are you having fun picking on one of my trainees?" the sergeant's voice drifted over as he made his way through the gathering.

She looked at him. "Hello, Sarge," she greeted as if she weren't holding a soldier larger than her captive.

He nodded to her, looking at the trainee. "The next time you're given advice by someone better than you, take it and walk away." He motioned Alex to let go of the kneeling man and waited for him to stand before continuing. "Especially when the one offering the advice is a highly ranked Agent." He looked at Alex again. "You've a call in my office."

Alex nodded, striding through the parting men without a second glance.

* * *

Again, I do not approve of the soldier's opinion toward women. Please do not leave a review yelling at me for including a viewpoint that is, unfortunately, still prevalent.


	3. Wolf knows?

This is set toward the end of _Point Blanc_, as they're en route home and before Alex has to deal with the clone.

* * *

_**03**_

Alex glanced around the small plane Mrs. Jones had pointed her to. Jones had stayed behind to head the clean up, but the soldier who had been killed and the rest of the team had all been put on board. She knew the body was in a casket in the luggage area and saw that most of the soldiers were in the middle of the plane in aisle seats.

Wolf was seated toward the front and had looked up when Alex stepped into the plane. He lifted his uninjured arm and waved her over.

Alex eyed him warily, slowly making her way over. She flopped into the window seat next to her old unit-mate. "How's your arm?" she asked, voice soft in deference to the couple of soldiers who were sleeping.

He shrugged a shoulder. "Half-numb. Not too bad though since they're letting me go back now."

She nodded. "How are you now though?"

Wolf turned and looked at her. "What?"

"We're on a plane."

He blinked. "Oh. Fine. It doesn't bug me as much anymore. Getting kicked out a plane will do that to a person."

"I'd say sorry, but it made me feel better."

Wolf huffed out a soft laugh, adjusting the sling he had been forced into. "What about you? How are you?"

It was Alex's turn to shrug and she looked out the window. "Okay, I guess. I'm just looking forward to getting home."

Wolf nodded. "For the record, if I ever see you do something like with that snowmobile, or the ironing board, again, I will put your ass in a hospital bed. And I don't care if you are a girl."

Alex's attention shot to him, her eyes wide. "What?"

"You heard me."

"I think you hit your head."

Wolf gave her a flat look. "Don't bullshit me, Cub. I'm not stupid."

She stared at him then sighed. "How did you know?"

"Aside from when I pushed you in the Killing House? I stepped in on you while you were in the shower. Got the hell out of there after that." He paused, remembering the shock at that discovery. Luckily, she had gotten soap in her eyes so she hadn't seen him standing frozen, eyes wide and cheeks staining red. "Actually, that was right before the Killing House."

Alex blushed in realization. "I'm surprised you didn't shout it out for the whole camp to hear."

Wolf looked at her, incredulous. "And make things worse for us? It was bad enough having a teenage boy as a tag-a-long. Could you imagine a girl?" He rolled his eyes.

Her eyes narrowed. "I still haven't figured out why it was such a problem."

"It was embarrassing! We were relegated to babysitting! We could have been binned!"

Alex glared then lashed out and hit his bruised shoulder. She ignored his hiss of pain and glare to grind out a response. "Or maybe your superiors saw that you lot were some of the best and knew you'd be able to keep up your level of performance with a supposedly 'useless' teen in tow and that you wouldn't end up killing said teen on accident or letting 'him' get himself killed - though you did kind of fail at keeping an eye on me or teaching me anything other than to always watch my back and that I really shouldn't try to trust anyone, not even the people who are 'on my side'." She shoved to her feet again. "Are all soldiers as dense as you are, or do you not know how to look for the subtle?" She shook her head. "Screw you Wolf."

As the blonde stalked down the plane, Wolf couldn't help but shift uncomfortably. He supposed it was possible that what she said was true, but it's not like they, as soldiers, had the right to question what their superiors were thinking. Though, from what he had seen of how MI6 was treating Cub, he couldn't blame her for being suspicious like that. But, had they made things that much harder for her? Had they managed to damage her in any way, damage her more than she may have already been?

Wolf growled softly and shoved a hand through his hair before pushing to his feet. He followed Alex to the back of the plane and just watched her stare out the window before he eased into the seat next to her. "Look, Cub..." This time he was the one to sigh. "I'd say sorry, but I'm not. You didn't belong there, you didn't belong on that mountain, you don't belong in this world, and I was trying to get you home."

She didn't even look at him as she responded. "Well, you failed," she said, tone dark. "I don't have a choice in the matter. You saw how Jones was with me... Just go away. I don't want to talk, not to you, not to anybody. I don't want company."

He looked at her then sighed again, slowly getting to his feet. He set his good hand on her shoulder. "Look, if you need help or want to talk or something, look me up." He ambled back to his initial seat. He and Alex spent the rest of the flight in the same way - lost in thought.


	4. Dave 'meets' Tom

This occurs shortly after chapter 10 of _Cross Out_ (which was roughly mid-November).

To Kill A Mockingjay and I are organizing what will hopefully become the annual Alex Rider Fanfiction Awards. Check it out here: forum. fanfiction .net/forum/The_Royal_General_Bank/93073/ . Nominations are open and will be until November 1.

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**_04_**

"Thanks again," Ben muttered from where he was reclined in the seat, letting the soft sounds of the car lull him to sleep. It had been a difficult mission though luckily not too long. It didn't make the danger or bruises any less of an irritation, just less of it to put up with. He winced and shifted when his ribs protested his position.

David nodded with a soft hum of acknowledgment. His friend may have said he was fine, but the blond fully intended to go through his own check when they got home. He glanced at the dozing brunet, taking his eyes off the road for only a couple seconds.

Of course, as any soldier would know, it only takes a couple of seconds for disaster to strike. The loud thud of something bouncing off the windshield snapped his attention forward and he slammed on the brakes even as Ben jerked upright.

They were able to glimpse a boy with dark hair as he vanished in front of the car, hitting the ground. The men sat in shock for a second or so before they were scrambling out of the vehicle.

Ben was stiff and sore so he was a little slow in catching the other teen that ran over and received an elbow to his side for his trouble. His breath escaped him in a hiss even as he managed to catch the boy's arms and pin them.

"Tom!" a familiar voice shouted, still struggling against the spy. Oh, this wasn't a boy. It was Alex. She had shoved her hair under a hat. Which meant... Oh, god he hoped not. Ben really hoped he was wrong.

David barely noticed any of this, kneeling to check on the darker teen. It was hard to see if there was any blood since the boy, Tom apparently, was wearing a red coat and knit cap and had managed to curl around himself, probably an instinctive act at the threat of being hurt.

They all jumped when Tom suddenly sat up. "I'm okay," he said, pushing to his feet. He blinked at the looks they were all giving him. "What?" It was about then that he saw the no longer restraining arm around Alex that he recognized the brunet. "Oh. Hi, Ben. Okay trip?"

Alex sighed and shook her head, pushing away from Ben to pull Tom into a hug. Then she hit him.

"Ow! What was that for?" he whined.

Alex glared, hands on her hips. "You're an idiot. You're supposed to look before running into the street, remember? And why the hell did you let us think S- David had hit you?"

"I didn't mean to," Tom protested, hiding behind the Scottish man as he straightened. "I was just trying to get away and tripped and fell."

"What hit the windshield, anyway?" David asked, cutting in before Alex could start yelling at her friend again.

"Football," was the joint answer, though Alex didn't ease her glare any.

Ben was somewhat impressed; apparently Alex and James had been spending time together. When had that started?

"Christ, kid. You alright?" someone asked, joining them. It was Neal and, speak of the devil, James.

Ben's gaze flickered between the unit leader and teenage girl, comparing their glares. James still had Alex beat, but it was clear that she was somehow getting pointers. He sighed and spoke up. "Can we go somewhere that isn't the middle of the street, please? And preferably warmer." He'd think about how that foursome came about later.

The others turned and finally took in his haggard appearance. James' lips thinned when he saw the bruises along Ben's jawline and he swept his eyes down the man's form before turning to David.

"Checking him at home," was the preemptive answer.

James just nodded then pointed at the car, glaring at everyone. "Get it."

"What about the ball?" was Tom's question as Alex said, "We aren't all going to fit in there."

It was about then that Tom saw the glare aimed at him. His eyes widened and, deciding that discretion was indeed the better part of valor, dove into the back seat of the car. Alex rolled her eyes and grabbed the football before throwing it in after her friend. She smirked at the yelp this produced.

James scowled at his teammates. "Either get in or I'm driving." Not that this was much of a threat considering that he was usually the most careful driver out of them, but he was also easily the most skilled. He just didn't care most of the time. Tom had told Alex after his first driving lesson that he was fairly certain that the soldier was related to Evel Knievel. They all knew he wouldn't do anything too bad since Ben was injured, but that didn't mean he couldn't, or wouldn't, do anything.

It was this knowledge that prompted them to get in, Ben and David settling into the front while Alex was stuck sitting on Neal's lap. Not that he was complaining, though he didn't get to enjoy it much either, too busy worrying about the dark looks Ben and, surprisingly, James were shooting him.

"So, rough trip?" Alex asked, eyes wide and innocent.

The older spy snorted, not fooled for a second. "Fine. Shorter than expected." He turned his head to look back at her but forgot what he was going to say when he saw the fading bruise on her cheek. "What the hell happened to you?"

Alex blinked and frowned, not having really paid any attention to her 'injuries' after the first day or so. "What?"

"The bruise," Ben snapped, trying to turn in the seat for a better look but stopped at the sudden sharp stab of pain in his side.

"Oh. Tom... got into a bit of trouble last weekend. I helped and..." She shrugged as if saying that it could have been worse. Which it could have been, she just wasn't going to say exactly how much worse. After all, being kidnapped and sold into slavery was pretty bad.

Ben grunted, settling again. He'd get the story out of her later. "So how'd you get drug into things, James?"

James scowled at Neal and would have jabbed an elbow into the taller man's side if Tom hadn't been in the way. "I was going to pick up some food but Neal saw me."

Ben exchanged an amused look with David. That was typical of the occasionally hyperactive soldier. He and Tom could be remarkably alike at times, having some idea occur to them and sweeping everyone else into it with them. Maybe that was why Alex didn't really notice stuff like that, she was used to it.

Ben chuckled and dozed off to the sound of bickering. It certainly sounded like the members of his makeshift family got along well. Now, hopefully they wouldn't lose anyone.


End file.
